2018 Salary Survey: You Work Hard for the Money

Nearly three-quarters of event organizers received a raise over the past year — and their average increase of nearly 7 percent is more than twice the average for North American workers across all industries.

What’s the difference between someone who puts in long hours and a workaholic? For event professionals, it’s not an academic question.

According to the results of this year’s Convene Salary Survey, respondents average a 46-hour workweek — and nearly one-quarter spend more than 50 hours a week on the job. Long hours, stress, and lack of home/life balance were frequently cited by survey participants as the things that they like the least about their jobs. And only 20 percent of respondents said that they took all of their accrued personal and vacation days last year. Yet, for most respondents, the blood, sweat, and tears are worth it — seven out of 10 said they are satisfied with their jobs.

Here are some insights as to why that might be case:

• Seventy-two percent received an increase in pay within the last 12 months, three points down from last year’s survey.

• Less than half (42 percent) reported that their salary increased by less than 5 percent; 15 percent said it increased by 5 to 9.9 percent; and 14 percent received increases of more than 10 percent. The average raise was nearly 7 percent. The average salary for all respondents was $83,782.

• Respondents with a CMP earned on average more than $10,500 a year than their colleagues without the designation: their average pay was $89,627 compared to an overall average salary of $79,013.

Click here to download the PCMA Convene Salary Survey Report in PDF format, including salary information segmented by years of experience, title, geographic region, and other factors.